Fullmetal Alchemist and the Shadows of Darkness
by kawaii-kuroi-neko
Summary: The Elric brother's are coming across more mysteries that seem to have no answers. Their new ally leads them to questions about what friendship really is.
1. Legion of Female Alchemists

"This should be easy," said a blonde haired boy. He had long bangs and his hair was braided in the back. He wore a long red coat with an alchemy symbol on the back.

"Oh you think so?" said a crazy looking man with three tufts of hair. He dodged the others punches. But as he turned, something hard and heavy hit him on the head. The man fell to the ground in a daze.

"Good job, Al," laughed the blonde. He looked at the huge suit of armor in front of him.

"I didn't really try though," the suit of armor replied. "Ed, here comes Colonel Mustang"

They both turned to see a black haired man walking toward them.

"Well done there Edward -- Alphonse," he said. "We'll have this guy in jail soon enough"

"Yeah, I don't think he'll be waking up anytime soon. Al hit him pretty hard," Ed laughed.

"Sorry," Al sighed.

"Anyway, Ed, I have a special assignment for you," said Colonel Mustang.

"Another one? Colonel, you're gonna kill me with all these assignments," Ed complained.

"Calm down, Elric. It's just a job at the Exam testing grounds." Ed looked at him.

"What for?" Al asked.

"You will be an Official Onlooker for the State Alchemy Exam," the Colonel answered.

"Wasn't the exam held two weeks ago?" Ed asked.

"This is different; it's the first exam for the first Female Alchemist group"

"Female?"

"Yes, seems we've had some complaints about too few women as State Alchemists, so"

"I see," Ed replied. "When would I be needed"

"Tomorrow. The first two parts of the exam have already been held. The applicants who passed will be at the practical tomorrow. So, do you accept this assignment"

"Do I really have a choice?" Ed muttered. The Colonel continued to look at him. "Fine, I'll do it"

"Good. Tomorrow, 0800 hours," Colonel Mustang said, walking away. He stepped into a car where a blonde haired woman sat waiting.

"The office appears to be having difficulty with your orders," she said.

"How so Lieutenant Hawkeye"

"They're asking questions that are not to be asked"

"Damn them! But -- she knows --"

"So, do you suppose you'll meet any girls there?" Al asked. "I doubt it, besides, I'm not looking," Ed replied.

"Oh, I forgot. You have your eyes on Winry"

"WHAT! No! No! We're just friends! That's all"

"Okay," Al laughed.

"If you weren't my brother, I'd hit you"

"I know there's more!" yelled a voice from down the street. Two figures stood under a streetlamp; both military officials.

"We can't get anymore information, sir. We were told not to ask "

"You idiot! Mustang's got no say in what the Board Officials can and can't do"

"Sir, he has the right to say "

"I don't care what he says he is! He hasn't proven it! No papers, no nothing! For all we know he could be -- get in the car!"Both figures climbed into the car and it drove off.

"I think he saw us," Al pointed out.

"What was that all about anyway?" Ed asked.

"Why was Colonel Mustang mentioned"

"I don't know, Al, but I have a hunch it has something to do with this exam thing"

"Do you think so, brother?" Al asked.

"Absolutely." Ed swished his coat and continued walking.

A bright light filled the next street. Al and Ed looked at each other and ran down to see what had caused it. There was a figure moving around. It was too dark to tell who it was, but it was doing something.

"Damn it, that's too much! I have to use less!" said a voice. More light came out of nowhere and surrounded a lamp post. It glowed brightly and then changed shape.

"Don't try so hard," said Colonel Mustang's voice.

Ed tried to squint through the darkness, but he couldn't make out anything.

"Just concentrate, and --" Colonel Mustang's voice cut off. Everyone stood in silence, then -

"Go, now!" yelled the Colonel. Flames suddenly shoot at Edward and Alphonse.

"Whoa!" Ed yelled, jumping out of the way. He could hear footsteps running toward him. Colonel Mustang came into view.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked, sounding a little irritated.

"We were on our way home," Al said.

"Well, I suggest you be getting there," Mustang said, turning quickly and walking away.

"Man, is he moody," Ed said.

"More than usual," Al replied. Ed thought for a moment.

"C'mon, we need some sleep," he said, yawning. Al nodded and followed his brother.

The next morning, there was a knock at the door of the Elrics' house. Ed staggered to the front door and yawned.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"It's me!" said a cheery voice on the other side. Ed opened the door and there stood a blonde haired girl holding several luggage bags.

"Winry! Er -- why are you here?" Ed asked.

"Just here to check up on my two favorite people," Winry replied, pushing her way in. "Nice place."

"Thanks. How long do you -- plan on staying?" Ed asked, looking at all of her bags.

"Oh, just a few weeks," Winry smiled.

"A few weeks!"

"Yeah, it'll be great!"

"Hello, Winry," said Al, coming from the bedroom.

"Good morning, Alphonse."

"Yeah, well, I hate to be rude, but I've got to go to this Military Examination thing --"

"Brother, it's 8:30!" Al yelled, looking at the clock.

"What!" Ed yelled running out the door.

"He's an onlooker for the first group of female alchemists," Al explained.

"Oh. Female alchemists?" Winry asked.

"Yeah, Colonel Mustang says the Military finds the need for them."

"Well, it's about time those sexist pigs put in some women," Winry said glowingly.

"The Colonel's gonna kill me!" Ed muttered. He ran through the main doors and saw Colonel Mustang, waiting for him.

"I'm sorry! I woke up late!" Ed said, rushing up to him.

"Edward -- I'm tired of you pushing the limit! I'm going to have to revoke your priviledges as a State Alchemist," Colonel Mustang said.

"What! But sir --"

"Just kidding, Elric. The final exam doesn't start until 10:00."

"You -- you tricked me?"

"No, think of it more as a way to make you more punctual. To tell you the truth, I didn't think you'd be here this early," the Colonel laughed. He turned and walked away.

"That jerk!" Ed muttered to himself. He turned and looked around. "Now, which way was it to the testing ground? It's been forever since I've been there."

He turned and saw a group of Military officials walking through a door.

"There it is," Ed said, following them. He came to a huge outdoor area.

"Ah, the Fullmetal Alchemist himself," said an officer walking up to him. "Pleasure to finally meet you. This should be an interesting day, don't you agree?"

"Possibly, sir," Ed replied. The man laughed.

"Of couse, I don't expect you to expect much. But, I believe there may be something interesting." He continued to chuckle.

"And why is that?"

"Well -- I have a hunch about one of the applicants. And Colonel Mustang asked not to ask certain questions during her interview. Now, what does that tell you?"

"Well, maybe the girl has a slight anxiety problem. She might get nervous easily."

The man continued to laugh.

"No, no. There's more to it than that. There's something Roy doesn't want us to find out. Well, speak of the devil."

Ed turned to see Colonel Mustang walking outside. He turned and looked at Ed, then continued his walk toward the other group of officers. Ed joined them as Colonel Mustang started his briefing.

"Remember to judge on the best use of alchemic skill; not by your relationship to them, what you've heard about them, or --" he glanced at Ed, "how they look. We will be accepting three women today out of the twenty-eight finalists."

"That many?" asked a man standing next to Ed.

"It seems alchemy is rather popular around North City, which most of these girls are from," the Colonel said. He looked over toward the doors. "And here they come."

Ed looked over to see a huge group of girls walking out. Some were young and some were very old. They gather ed in front of a huge man-made ecosystem.

"Ladies, welcome. We will first call you one by one to show your alchemy skills. You are welcome to use any material you see fit," Colonel Mustang said, looking them over. He took a piece of paper from his jacket. "Isabelle Alton," he called.

A girl who looked a little older than Ed stepped forward. She had short brown hair and green eyes.

She carefully drew her transmutation cirlcle, then placed water and rocks inside. Then, she took out a golden pocket watch and placed it in the circle as well. She placed her hands on the circle's edge. Everything inside began to glow. The light faded, and in the circle lay a golden dagger.

Isabelle held the knife out for everyone to see. Ed heard some of the girls start to whisper.

"Very well done," said an officer. Colonel Mustang called out the names of a few more girls who had less spectacular transmutations.

"Danielle Faize," the Colonel replied. A blonde haired girls stepped forward. She was wearing an unusual outfit. She wore black. Her whole right arm was in a sort of black glove. And one pant leg was shorter that the other.

"This should be interesting," said the officer Ed had talked to earlier.

She drew her transmutation circle and put inside it a seed. She placed her hand on the circle, and the seed began to grow. It became an apple tree.

The girls began to whisper again, some even giggled.

"Well, she could be able to feed our troops," an officer laughed.

"That sure is an amazing alchemic ability," Ed laughed, turning to the officer. He had expected more than that from what he had guessed.

The Colonel cleared his throat. He called out a few more names. Sarah Meyer succeeded in making a statue of Colonel Mustang. Emily Nicholson made a huge paper airplane.

"Aleeya Sanders," the Colonel called. A red haired girl came forward and drew her transmutation circle and put in it a tree branch, water rocks, and a piece of string.

"She's making a fire bomb," Ed gasped. Aleeya placed her hands on the circle, and just as she did, a frog hopped into the circle. There was a huge roar, and there stood a giant red frog. It turned and looked at the girls, who all turned and ran. The frog then turned to Aleeya, who sat on the ground, horror-struck.

"How is that possible? That chimera was made using only one animal," Ed said, running toward the frog, but Colonel Mustang stopped him.

"No, you can't strike it! We don't know what will happen!" he said.

"But we can't just watch it!" Ed yelled.

"I know, but --" Colonel Mustang looked up. "No."

Ed looked over and saw the girl named Danielle running toward the frog. She put her hands together and, what looked like to be black electricity appeared. She directed it toward the frog and it wrapped around it.

"Alchemy without a transmutation circle," Ed gasped. "But, it's a different kind."

The frog gave a loud roar and began to glow bright red.

"It's gonna explode!" an officer yelled. Everyone scrambled. Except for Ed who continued to watch, trying to find some way to help.

Danielle ran for Aleeya. She helped her up and Aleeya ran. Danielle turned and followed. But when she was almost to the building doors, the ground caved in and her foot was stuck.

Ed ran over to her and tried to get her foot loose, but it was jammed in.

"Go! Get out of here!" Danielle yelled.

"What, so you can die?" Ed argued. The frog gave another loud roar. Ed clapped his hands together and put them to the ground.

The ground rose above and over them, encasing them in a shell. Danielle looked at him.

The frog exploded. Everyone looked at the huge fireball from a distance.

Inside the shell of rock, Ed covered Danielle and himself with his jacket to protect them from small flying rocks. Then, the ground gave way and they both fell into an underground tunnel.

Ed slowly opened his eyes. He was lying on his back looking up at the dark hole above him. He slowly sat up and looked around. It was dark and musty in the tunnel they had fallen in. He could barely make out the figure of Danielle, laying beside him. He stood up and squinted into the darkness.

"This must be a sort of bunker or something," Ed murmured. "So that means there's gotta be a stairway somewhere."

Danielle stirred beside him. She groaned and slowly stood up.

"My shoulder," she whispered.

"What's wrong?"

"I think it's dislocated. Where are you?" She stumbled into Ed. "Oh."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Is there a piece of wood around?"

"I don't know," Ed said, feeling around with his foot. It hit something. He reached down and picked it up.

"Will a broom work?"

"Hand it over."

Danielle took the broom. She worked with it a bit, then, she used the electricity to start a fire on the end of the broom.

"Nifty trick," Ed said. Danielle grasped her shoulder and pulled forward on it. There was a cracking sound and Danielle let out a stifled gasp.

"Okay, let's go," she said, letting her arm dangle to the side.

"Do you need help?" Ed offered.

"Am I dead?" Danielle snapped.

"No --"

"Then I don't need help."

"What's your problem!" Ed asked, agitated. Danielle turned and looked at him. Then she looked at the two shadows flickering on the wall.

"Sorry. I guess I'm not used to people offering help. But I'm fine."

Ed looked at her. She walked forward and Ed followed.

"So -- are you -- a State Alchemist?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah, unfortunately," Ed laughed.

"What?"

"You know -- being a dog of the military. They're always telling you what to do and where to go. Are you sure you still want to be a State Alchemist?"

"I never wanted to be one," Danielle confessed, glancing back at Ed.

"Then why are you --"

"Colonel Mustang wanted me to."

"How do you know him?" Ed asked, stepping over a large pile of rocks.

"He's my uncle," Danielle said.

"What!" Ed yelled, shocked. "I didn't know the Colonel had any siblings!"

"Think about it. How much do you really know about him?" Danielle said, turning to him. Ed thought for a moment.

"I know he's a jerk," Ed mumbled.

"He's not usually though. He's very open-minded. He just keeps alot of things hidden inside, you know," Danielle explained.

"Like, how you didn't use all your skills during the exam?" Ed said. Danielle looked at him, then turned and continued walking. "Why didn't you?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?"

"I guess that's just the kind of person I am."

"And I'm the kind of person who gets annoyed easily," Danielle said, ducking under a piece of stone. They continued walking for a moment when they stopped in front of a huge wall.

"I guess we went the wrong way," Ed laughed, turning around.

"Wait! I can hear voices," Danielle exclaimed. Ed listened too.

Danielle threw herself against the wall. She stumbled backwards, then ran at it again. She fell to the ground.

"Let me try," Ed said, helping her up. He clapped his hands togethr and threw them against the wall. A bright blue light grew and a hole opened up in the wall revealing Colonel Mustang, Lieutenant Hawkeye, and several other Military officials.

"Um -- sorry about that," Ed laughed. The others continued to stare.

----------------Preview of Next Episode:-----------------------

"Hey, what are you doing!" Ed exclaimed.

"Why are you here! Go away!" Danielle yelled.

"I'm suppose to escort you downstairs," Ed replied.

"I don't need an escort!"

"Fine, I'll go --" Ed thought for a moment. He could already hear Colonel Mustang, yelling at him, telling him he wouldn't be able to eat until he had brought Danielle with him. "I'm not leaving until you come out! I can't eat until you're down there!" Ed said.


	2. The Dark Alchemist

Ed sat in Colonel mustang's office, waiting for him to return from the infirmary. He had taken Danielle there for her shoulder and possible broken ribs. Ed looked around.

"C'mon! I don't have all day," he yawned. He stood up and walked up to the Colonel's desk. On it were several stacks of paper. Ed looked at them. "boring Military info," Ed sighed. "Let's just take a glance at Colonel Roy Mustang's desk." He pulled open a drawer. There was a file sitting on top, labeled: Faize, Danielle. Ed looked at it for a moment, then he reached for it.

"You might want to return to the seat you were in when I left," said a voice. Ed quickly looked up and saw Colonel Mustang walking into the room.

"Colonel, I was -- just --" Ed stuttered as he shuffled to his seat. Colonel Mustang walked over to his desk, took out the folder, and looked at it.

"She has a dislocated shoulder, and a bruised rib or two. And yet -- you come out scratch free," he said in a interested voice.

"I fell on my right arm," Edward said looking down at his hands.

"Amazing what auto-mail can prevent. Here," Colonel Mutang said tossing the folder to Ed, "I know you're going to be investigating sooner or later. now you'll know everything the Military knows."

"Too bad they don't know very much."

"They know all they need to know. If Danielle finds the she can trust you, which I doubt will happen, she'll tell you what you want to know."

Ed looked at him. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," the Colonel commanded. The door opened and Danielle walked in, with her arm in a sling.

"Danielle, why aren't you --" the Colonel started.

"They wanted to run some tests," she replied.

"I see," the Colonel said, putting his hands together. "It's seems Second Lieutenant Bradshaw doesn't give up so easily." Ed watched to two, feeling slightly alienated from the conversation.

"Should I go back to Pyre?" Danielle asked.

"You can't You're now a State Alchemist."

"What? How?"

"After that little stunt with that chimera -- the Exam officials had you as their first choice, no problem. But that is a problem, don't you agree? Now Bradshaw will have more suspicion about you and more oppourunities to stick his nose where it doesn't belong."

Danielle looked at the floor. "I'm sorry, she said. She looked up at the Colonel and then over to Edward.

"Well there's nothing we can do know. I'll see you at home."

Danielle nodded, then left the room.

"Did you really have to be so hard on her?" Ed asked.

"You think that's being hard? After the hard times I give you?" the Colonel replied.

"I'm just saying --"

"It's none of your concern. But I would like to invite you and Alphonse over to my house for dinner."

"What? Are you serious!"

"Just think of it as me repaying you for saving Danielle. Do you accept?"

"Heck yeah, I accept!" Ed said. "As long as there's plenty of food."

The Colonel chuckled. "I'll send someone to pick you up around seven, then."

"Yes, sir," Ed said, as he walked out the door. For the first time, Edward began to think that Mustang wasn't as bad as he thought.

"What do you mean I wasn't invited!" Winry yelled. She grabbed Ed by the coat.

"He probably didn't know you were here," Ed said, trying to get his coat free.

"Well then, I'm sure he won't mind if I come," Winry said.

"That's probably not a good idea," Alphonse said.

"Remember what happened last time you invited yourself?" Ed explained.

"Yeah, but --"

"Don't worry, we leave at seven, and we'll be back by nine, . . . maybe," Edward said.

"Yeah -- but --"

"I'm heading up to my study." Winry and Al watched him walk upstairs.

"Yeah, but you guys have no food here!" Winry sobbed. Al laughed.

Ed opened the door to his study. There were books on alchemy everywhere. He placed the folder of Danielle on his desk and sat down.

"Dinner at the good 'ol Colonel's house," Ed laughed. "I wonder how big his house is. All these years of knowing him, and I still haven't seen his house. Although it can't be as big as the house next door, that place is huge!" Ed slumped in his chair. He looked at a picture of him and his brother before all of this happened. "My motivation --" he said. "What I wouldn't give to get you back your body, Al."

He looked at the folder lying on his desk. He reached out and opened it. Inside was a picture of Danielle paperclipped to two sheets of paper. Ed began to read. She was fifteen, the same age as Ed. She came from Pyre, a city far north of Central.

"Her glove is made of a special fabric," Ed said to himself, "but what is it for?" He turned the page, but it was blank. "Damn, now I know as much as the Military," Ed sighed, tossing the folder back onto the desk. He moved his auto-mail arm back and forth for a moment.

"Maybe I should have Winry take a look at my arm," he said, standing up. "I fell pretty hard on it."

Winry was slumped on the couch. Al sat in front of the window.

"Winry --" Ed started.

"It took you long enough," she said. "Let me see it."

"Thanks, Winry," Ed smiled.

A Military car pulled up to the Elric house at seven o' clock exact. Al and Ed said good-bye to Winry as they got into the car. The car pulled forward.

"Can you believe it, brother? We're going to see Colonel Mustang's house," Al exclaimed.

"And we get to eat his food," Ed replied excitedly. He rubbed his hands together.

"Is food all you think about?" Al sighed. The car pulled into a driveway.

"That was a quick drive."

"No way!" Ed exclaimed, jumping to the window. "He does live in the mansion next door!" The car pulled around to the front of the mansion. A man opened the car door and Ed and Al stepped out.

"Great service," Ed said, nodding to the man.

"Roy likes the fancy life since he was promoted," said a man stepping out of a car behind them. He was very tall and very muscular, and he had a blonde curl falling in front of his forehead. He had a certain glow about him.

"Major Armstrong," Al said. Ed looked at him.

"How are you boys doing?" the Major asked. He looked up at the mansion. "I hear Roy's niece is visiting. I haven't seen her in since she was a little girl. She'd be about the same age as Edward now, I do believe. Have you met her yet?"

Al looked over to Edward, who was still staring at the Major. "Yes, Brother met her at the State Alchemy Exam," he explained, a little irritated by Ed's silence. But he finally spoke up --

"Was this suppose to be a formal dinner?"

Al looked at Armstrong. He was wearing a silk white shirt and a pink flower on the collar. He wore nice black pants and he had his black tuxedo jacket draped over his shoulder.

"I was told it was, but --" Armstrong started.

"Stupid Mustang! He's trying to make me look bad!" Ed yelled in rage.

"You are more than welcome to borrow a suit," said a voice behind him. Ed turned and saw Colonel Mustang staring down at him.

"Colonel, you --"

"I had a taylor size down a suit for you. I figured I should go ahead since I failed to inform you that this was a formal dinner. I do apologize."

"Funny how you stress the "size down" part," Ed mumbled.

"Major Armstrong, glad you could make it," the Colonel said, turning from Ed.

"I wouldn't miss this," Armstrong smiled.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye is already here. She's getting Danielle ready. I bought Danielle a dress, and it seems I have a rebel on my hands. Danielle is resisting." Mustang and Armstrong walked up the stairs to the front door, Ed and Al following. They were led to the entrance hall, where Mustang and Armstrong parted.

The Colonel turned and handed Al a black tie.

"What's this for?" Al asked.

"This is a formal dinner," the Colonel said. He watched Al slowly put it on.

"I feel ridiculous," Al complained.

"So do all of us. Now if you'll go ahead to the dining hall, I'll take Edward up to get his formal wear," the Colonel said, gesturing Al to flow with the crowd. Al looked at Ed, sighed, and then followed everyone else. "This way, Elric."

Ed followed the Colonel up a flight of stairs.

"This is a pretty nice place you have here, Colonel," Edward complemented as he admired the many doors lined up along the hallway.

"I don't want to wear it!" yelled a voice from behind one of the doors. The Colonel stopped to listen.

"The Colonel wants you to," came Lieutenant Hawkeye's calm, yet stern voice.

"I don't care, he's not the boss of me!" Ed realized who it was; it was Danielle.

"Excuse me for a moment," the Colonel said, with a smile on his face. He opened the door and disappeared behind it.

"Colonel!" Lieutenant Hawkeye and Danielle said together. Ed stood there in front of the door. He could hear Mustang talking on the other side, but he couldn't make out what he was saying. It became quiet and the door opened as Mustang walked out.

"Let's continue," he said walking on. Edward followed him. As they walked, Ed found that he could not keep quiet any longer.

"What do her gloves prevent exactly?" he said, breaking the silence. The Colonel seemed startled by his question, but regained his poise and grinned again.

"Let's not be persistant on that subject, Edward. You get yourself in way over your head," he said. He stopped and opened a door. Ed followed him in.

It was a bedroom by the looks of it, and sitting on the bed was a formal suit -- shoes and everything.

"It should all fit. I don't think you've grown much," the Colonel said, walking out the door and closing it behind him.

"What is that suppose to mean, you jerk!" Ed yelled after him. He sighed and turned to the suit on the bed. "Ah, I hate dressing up all fancy and stuff. But it's for the food." He picked up the suit to examine it.

"Colonel Mustang!" yelled a voice from across the dining hall. Roy stopped at the bottom of the staircase and glanced around. He saw a Military officer walking quickly up to him.

"Lieutenant Bradshaw," the Colonel replied. He glanced over at Al who was sitting at a table talking to Lieutenant Ross.

"Great dinner party, Roy, simply stunning," Bradshaw said.

"Thank you, and I hope you are enjoying yourself?"

"Very much so, I don't see how I couldn't. Is the Elric boy here?"

"Both of them, actually."

"I see. I met Edward at the Exam a while back. He seems like a nice boy."

"Yes, he is, although he can be a troublemaker."

"And what about your lovely niece? Is she here as well?" Bradshaw asked smiling. This seemed to change the Colonel's mood drastically. He moved his head closer to Bradshaw's.

"Listen to me," the Colonel said in an angry whisper, "you had better lose your curiousity before it becomes an obsession. And if you ever. harm her -- if you ever do anything that goes too far, I will do things that will make you regret every second of your life." Then he quickly turned and walked away.

"I know that you're hiding something, Mustang. And I will find out what it is," Bradshaw smirked.

Ed looked himself over in a mirror. He adjusted the suit and grinned. "Looks like the Colonel knows his stuff. He even got the right shoe size. But that means -- he was right! i didn't grow much!" He fell forward onto the bed and sighed. "I mustn't give up hope. I'll even be taller than him one day!" He quickly stood up, a new determination on his face. "Now to go find Al and piles of delicious food!"

He left his other clothing on the bed where the suit had been and walked out the door. He turned and saw Lieutenant Hawkeye walking out as well.

"Edward," she acknowledged.

"Sir," Ed replied walking up to her.

"Would you mind walking Danielle down to dinner? The Colonel asked me to go down as soon as she was dressed and I want to make sure she actually comes down."

"No problem. Could you just tell Al I'll be down soon?"

"Will do," Hawkeye said, turning and walking toward the staircase. Ed leaned against the wall opposite the door. He looked down at his hands, which he still wore his white gloves. He clenched his auto-mail arm and looked down both ends of the hallway. His stomache growled.

"I haven't eaten all day, and I volunteer to escort someone instead of eating?" he said, gripping his stomache.

The door creaked open as Danielle looked out. She saw Ed and quickly shut the door.

"Hey, what are you doing!" Ed yelled, running over to the door.

"Why are you here? Go away!" Danielle yelled through the other side of the door.

"I'm suppose to escort you downstairs," Ed explained.

"I don't need an escort!"

"Fine, I'll go --" Ed turned but as he did, a thought hit him. He could already hear Colonel Mustang yelling at him, telling him he couldn't eat until he had brought Danielle with him. He sighed and turned back to the door. "I'm not leaving until you come out! I can't eat until you're down there!"

"I don't care!"

"Please!" Ed begged.

"No!"

Ed kicked at the door in frustration and it fell forward. He saw Danielle standing in shock, looking down at the door. She looked up at Ed.

"Er -- oops," Ed apologized. "So are you coming now?"

"I'm afraid to see what would happen if I didn't," she muttered. She stepped over the door and followed Ed down the hallway.

"Are you the 'Fullmetal' Alchemist?" Danielle asked. "Your name is Edward Elric right?"

"Yeah, they're both true," Ed laughed. "I guess you've heard of my great legacy?"

"I pictured you much taller," she said. Ed's face grew red.

"Who are you calling a puny fly that you could smash with a newspaper!" Ed fumed.

"I didn't say that! Don't get all worked up!"

"I wasn't..." he mumbled. "So have you been assigned an alias yet?"

"Yes," Danielle replied. They kept walking.

"Well, what is it?"

"It's --- 'Dark' Alchemist. Because of --"

"--- The black electricity your alchemy creates. That's very unusual," Ed commented. They came to the stair case. Danielle bumped into his arm.

"Your arm!" she exclaimed.

"It's just auto-mail," Edward laughed.

"I didn't know. How did it happen?"

"That's another story, now, are you going to go down or not?" He continued down the staircase as Danielle followed. People would glance up every now and then, but Ed only noticed one person staring intensely upon them. Colonel Mustang. They reached the bottom of the staircase as Colonel Mustang walked over to them. Ed looked over at Al who was sitting by Lieutenant Hawkeye. They all walked over and sat down.

"Sorry it took so long, Al," Ed laughed, "hope you didn't get too bored."

"No. I talked to Isabelle and Aleeya. They just became State Alchemists," Al replied. Danielle looked at him from the other side of the table.

"Isabelle did the whole dagger thing, right?" Ed said turning to Danielle. "Aleeya was the one who made a chimera out of just one animal. That was amazing! No wonder the Military's interested."

"Who's this, Ed," Al said, looking at Danielle.

"Oh --- that's Danielle. She just became a State Alchemist too."

"Such bad manners, Edward," Alphonse sighed. "I'm Alphonse Elric, Ed's younger brother."

"Younger brother? I wouldn't have been able to tell," Danielle said studying them. Ed turned a dark shade of red.

"Easy, Ed," Al soothed.

"Dinner is served," said a man near the kitchen. Several men were behind him with trays. They placed them in front of each guest.

"Yeah, this is great!" Ed said, looking at the huge piece of steak on his plate. The butler-type men brought out side dishes and filled cups with wine. "Am I allowed to drink this?"

"The Colonel doesn't believe in age limits as long as you're responsible," Danielle answered, taking a sip of hers.

"I'm not too fond of this stuff," Ed said, pushing his glass away.

"You've never even tried wine," Al said.

"Well, better not break my streak now," Ed said, rubbing his hands together as he eyed all the food. "Now to get started." He picked up his fork and began to shovel food into his mouth.

"Ed, could you eat a little slower, please," Al whispered. "And stop making a huge mess."

"What's wrong with the way I eat?" Ed asked.

"You make people stare."

Ed looked up. Mostly everyone in the room was staring at him. He looked at his fork which was halfway to his mouth.

"Sorry, I guess I was just a little hungry," he laughed. Danielle and Al sighed. "By the way," Ed continued, looking at Danielle, "you can preform alchemy without an array."

"Yes, but so can you," she replied.

"I know, but there's only one other person I know of that can besides you and me. Meaning it's not an easy feat to come by."

"Do you always make a big deal out of everything?"

"Only when I have to," Ed smiled maliciously. Danielle glared at him and then looked over at Al.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked him. Al quickly looked to Ed for help.

Suddenly, the entrance doors exploded. Everyone quickly stood up to see what had caused it. The dust and debris cleared, revealing a black haired woman in a mask.

"Nice place you've got here," she said, looking at the high ceiling. "Too bad I wasn't invited to the party." She jumped into the air and landed on the table, face to face with Colonel Mustang. "Hope you don't mind if I take a few 'souviners'," she said, looking over to Danielle. "I've been looking for you, girl."

"Who are you!" Ed asked. The woman turned to him.

"Well, little boy," she smiled, "I am the Phantom Lady, reborn!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preview of Next Episode:

"What do you want with her?" Ed asked. The Phantom smirked.

"Just to take back what is rightfully mine," she said. "But you had to go and destroy my creation. But the others won't be so lucky."

"How many of these dolls do you have?"

"Four."

"You mean three now." Something hit Ed from behind, knocking him to the ground.

"No, I still have four."


	3. The Phantom Lady

Episode 3: The Phantom Lady

Ed looked up at the woman on the table. "Who's the Phantom Lady?" he said, turning to Al. He shrugged.

"You're too young to know who I am, little boy," the woman said. Ed's face turned dark red. "Now you," the Phantom Lady said turning to Danielle, " come with me." She grabbed Danielle by the arm and pulled her up.

"Stay away from her!" Colonel Mustang said, snapping his fingers. Flames flew at the Phantom Lady. She jumped to the side and let go of Danielle, who fell back into her chair.

"Now, now, I told you I would be taking souvenirs," the Phantom laughed. She pulled out a small dagger and threw it at the Colonel, who barely dodged it.

"Colonel!" Lieutenant Hawkeye yelled, pulling out a gun from her garter. But she stopped from firing. The Phantom Lady had Danielle placed between her and Riza.

"Well now, it's been a fun night. But it's time for us to go," she said, pulling Danielle closer to her. "Bye now!" And she dashed off, pulling Danielle behind her.

"Stop!" the Colonel yelled, running after them. Ed, Al, Hawkeye, and Armstrong followed him closely.

"Don't try to follow," the Phantom Lady called back to them. She tossed back several small, silver balls, which emitted a thick smoked that choked them. They all looked around, squinting through the haze.

"Where did they go?" Hawkeye asked.

"We'll split up," the Colonel commanded. "Armstrong, take the maze in the back. Hawkeye, take the front lawn. Edward and Alphonse, upstairs. I'll take the Kitchen and the Guests Quarters."

"You have a maze?" Ed asked, awe-struck.

"Now!"

Each went their own way.

Armstrong came up to the huge maze entrance.

"Danielle, are you in there?" he called.

"Help me," came her voice.

"Don't worry, Danielle, I'll save you!" he said glowingly as he cracked his knuckles. He bounded off into the maze.

Hawkeye stood on the stone stairs looking out into the darkness.

"Danielle are you out there?" she yelled.

"Let me go!" yelled Danielle's voice from the dark street. Hawkeye tightened her grip on her gun and ran out onto the lawn.

Mustang stepped into one of the dark guest rooms. He heard shuffling over in the corner.

"Danielle, is that you?" he asked.

"She hurt me. It hurts," came her voice in a whisper.

The Colonel looked at the area where he had heard her speak. He closed his eyes and smiled. "I don't think so," he said, snapping his fingers.

Ed and Al checked every door as they passed them. Each was empty with no sign of Danielle or the Phantom Lady.

"Don't you agree that the Colonel is taking this very seriously?" Al said.

"Well, yeah. The woman did blow up his front door. Who wouldn't get mad," Ed replied, opening a door and looking in a room.

"I don't think it's that," Al said, looking in a room too. "I think the Colonel really cares about Danielle."

"The Colonel doesn't know how to care," Ed argued, opening another door. Danielle stood in the middle of the room, looking at him. She let out a sigh and fell to her knees.

"Danielle!" Ed and Al yelled running to her side.

"Edward," she whispered, as he supported her. She lifted her hand. Her fingers grew out – like sharp knives.

"What the --!" Ed yelled, dodging the slashing fingers. Danielle lunged at him again, swinging her hands through the air.

"Ed!" Al yelled as Danielle slashed Ed's side. Ed looked at the cut.

"That's it!" he yelled, punching Danielle through the window.

"Um – don't you think you over did it?" Al said. "What is she?"

"She -- was a homunculus," Ed muttered. "But that doesn't make any sense."

"Because that wasn't her," said a voice behind them. They both turned to see the Phantom Lady with the real Danielle at her side. "And that wasn't a homunculus, it was a doll fixed with the souls of animals."

"But that doesn't make any sense either!" Ed yelled. "To make anything like that goes against the laws of Alchemy! ------ Unless you had…"

"The Philosopher's Stone?" the Phantom laughed. "Silly little boy. That matter is too big for kids like you."

Ed laughed. "Alright then. Let Danielle go!"

"I don't think so. It's time she came back with me."

"What do you want with her?"

"That, too, is none of your business."

"You won't get out of here so easily. The others ---"

"Won't have such an easy time with my creations."

"How many of these dolls do you have?"

"Four."

"You mean three now," Ed smirked. Something hit him from behind and he fell to the floor.

"No, I still have four."

"Ed!" Alphonse said, kneeling beside his brother.

"Tata, love," the Phantom said, pulling Danielle with her.

"Edward! Alphonse!" yelled Danielle.

The doll swung at Al, but her claws merely clanged against the metal. He picked it up and threw it at the wall. He quickly drew a transmutation circle and placed his hands on it. When the doll ran for him, he activated the circle and a huge cage rose around it.

"Good job, Al," Ed said, standing up. "That thing nailed me pretty good." He stumbled into Al. The doll hissed at him, reaching its claws out. "It's amazing."

"Do you think that she really used the Philosopher's Stone?" Al asked.

"It could have been a fake, but I'd like to think she did. But I'll beat the truth out of her if I have to!" He ran out the door, Al following.

"Now, you stupid girl," the Phantom said, thrusting Danielle onto the roof, "it's time you were taught a lesson."

"What are you talking about?" Danielle asked.

"Don't play dumb! Now come on, we're going back."

"I think you got the wrong person, so let her go," said Edward, behind them.

"You again? How boring," the Phantom sighed.

"Let her go!" yelled another voice. Colonel Mustang ran up behind the Elric brothers.

"What? How did you know my creation was fake? It was suppose to have killed you!" the Phantom yelled.

"It was obvious," the Colonel said coolly, "Your Danielle said 'It hurts.' The real Danielle would never admit to pain."

Ed looked at Al. "Al, draw a transmutation circle," he whispered. Al looked at him confused.

"Did you destroy it?" the Phantom asked, glaring at the Colonel.

"Nothing left."

"Damn you! Do you know how ling that took to create!"

"Don't worry, they weren't that good anyway," said another voice.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye! Major Armstrong!" Al yelled as the others joined them.

"Not you too!" the Phantom yelled, pushing Danielle to the side. The Phantom drew out several daggers.

"Danielle!" the Colonel yelled. The Phantom stopped and turned. Danielle stumbled backwards close to the edge. She caught her balance.

"Al, now!" Ed yelled, running toward Danielle. Al put his hands on the circle. A stream of light shot out and down the side of the mansion. Several thin ledges extended from the house. Ed ran at Danielle, grabbed her, and jumped off the roof.

"What?" everyone yelled. They all ran over to the edge. Ed and Danielle looked up at them, covered in rubble from the broken ledges. Ed had used them to slow their fall.

"See ya, crazy lady!" Ed yelled as he picked up Danielle and ran with her toward the maze.

"Good job, Elric," Colonel Mustang said to himself. "Just keep her safe."

"You little bastard!" the Phantom Lady yelled. She turned to see the others blocking her way.

"Move out of my way!" she yelled.

"You'll have to go through us," Mustang smiled. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Ed ran through the entrance to the maze. He cut a few corners and stopped, panting. He put Danielle on the ground.

"What the hell did you think you were doing!" she yelled. She dusted off her dress.

"You're welcome," Ed mumbled, aggravated. "So what did she say to you?"

"Nothing of any use," Danielle replied. "She kept saying that she was taking me back to where I belonged."

"Do you know what she was talking about?"

"Not a clue. I think she's a thief and she's trying to hold me for ransom to get the Colonel's goods."

"I don't know," Ed answered, thinking about the situation.

Danielle looked down the maze path and then back up the other way. She examined the hedge and turned back to Edward.

"If we make it to the center, I know where there's a secret passage we can use."

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Ed walked along behind Danielle as she tried to remember the fastest way to the center.

"Exactly how big is this thing?" Ed asked as they walked down a long, dark path.

"About three acres," Danielle said.

"What? Are you serious! Man, the Colonel must be loaded. Who inherits the money if he goes? Your dad?"

"Why would my father inherit it?" Danielle snapped.

"Oh – so your mom's his sister."

"Yeah, but she doesn't inherit the fortune."

"What, is she on the Colonel's bad side or something?" Ed laughed.

"No," Danielle replied, "she's dead."

Ed looked at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't know," he said, sympathetically. They continued to walk in silence. Each seemed to be absorbed in their own thoughts.

"What happened to your arm?" Danielle asked, breaking the silence.

"And my leg," Ed added.

"Your leg too? What happened?"

"Why do you wear that special glove?" Ed asked, eyeing her black gloves, obviously made of the same material mentioned in the file.

"Touché," she smiled. "I guess we both have certain points we don't wish to share."

"Maybe in time we will."

"My thoughts exactly. We really aren't that different, Elric. Except for I'm taller."

"You're not taller! Maybe by an inch! Not even that much!"

"Sorry, I didn't know your height was a sensitive point," Danielle said smoothly.

"It's not."

"Shorty," Danielle whispered. Ed turned a violent shade of red.

"Well, you're – you're –"

"Hey look! It's the center!" she said, running ahead. "Hurry up – Shorty."

"What! Come back here and I'll show you shorty!" Ed yelled, running after her.

The center was a huge fountain of an angel. Her hands were extended to her sides, where water flowed down them. Here wings were outstretched, and water rose high above them. Small, white flowered vines streamed along the wall of the pool.

"Finally. I though we would never make it," Ed sighed.

"You doubted my abilities?" Danielle smirked.

"And your abilities will be your down fall," laughed a voice behind them. They both turned to see the Phantom Lady step out from behind the fountain. "I'll come for you again, little girl. And no one will be able to stop me next time. A warning for you, boy; get in my way again, and I'll kill you for sure." Flames shot at her, but she disappeared behind burning hedges. The flames began to spread quickly.

"Edward, how do we stop the fire?" Danielle asked.

"Leave it to me," Ed smiled. He clapped his hands together and placed them on the fountain. It turned into a giant stone structure that sprayed water from the fountain onto the flaming hedges.

"Edward, that was amazing! You must have a very good imagination to come up with something like that!" Danielle complimented.

"Ah – it's nothing," Ed laughed, scratching his head.

"Danielle, are you okay?" said a voice behind them. Colonel Mustang led the others up to the center of the maze. Danielle nodded her head.

"Kinda got reckless with the flames, huh, Colonel?" Ed said mischievously.

"And you talk to me about reckless, Elric," Mustang snapped. "What about on the roof?"

"Colonel –" Danielle started. Mustang looked at her.

"Sorry, Edward. Thank you for your actions. I am, once again, indebted to you." He turned and indicated for Danielle to follow him.

"What about the secret passage?" Ed asked.

"You transmuted the entrance," Armstrong said. Ed coughed. Lieutenant Hawkeye and Major Armstrong turned to follow Mustang and Danielle.

"Hey, Danielle!" Ed called. She turned around and looked at him. "You can call me Ed."

Danielle looked at him for a moment and nodded her head. Al walked up beside Ed.

"Brother, we should go home," he said. Ed looked up at him.

"Yeah, Winry might be getting worried," Ed laughed. "Let me stand on your shoulders so we can find our way out of here."

"Hey you guys!" Winry yelled, running to the front gate to meet them.

"We brought you some food, Winry," Al said.

"Just in case you were hungry," Ed added. Winry looked at them both and smiled.

"Thanks you guys. I'll accept that as an apology," she said.

"What do you mean 'apology'?" Ed asked, aggravated.

"You guys just left me here!"

"We didn't have to bring you any food!"

Al sighed.

-------------Preview of Next episode------------

"Danielle Faize," said a voice behind her. She turned to see Lieutenant Bradshaw pull up in his car.

"Sir, I need your permission to get a certain set of archives that I need," Danielle said.

"I'm sorry," Bradshaw said in an unconvincing sympathetic voice. "Those archives can't be seen by just any State Alchemist. But – you're not just any State Alchemist, are you?"

Danielle didn't say anything.

"Tell me your secret and I'll give you permission."


	4. The History of the Phantom Lady

Episode 4: The History of the Phantom Lady

"Lieutenant," Colonel Mustang said to Lieutenant Hawkeye as he sat behind his desk, drumming his fingers together.

"Yes, sir?" she replied, as she positioned herself in front of the Colonel's desk.

"Last night didn't exactly go well, did it?"

"No, sir."

"I want to find out who this Phantom Lady, is. I want her arrested as soon as possible," Mustang said standing up.

"Yes, sir. I'll put Falman and Fuery on it right away, sir."

"Wait a minute, Lieutenant," the Colonel said, turning to the window. "I've been thinking about what the Phantom Lady said when we first met her. She said she was _reborn_. I wonder if there may have been another Phantom?"

"I haven't heard of anybody going by that name," Hawkeye replied.

"Yes, I know. I want to search all archives at the Central Library," the Colonel sighed. "It may be an exhausting search."

"Yes, sir," Hawkeye said, turning toward the door.

"Wait," the Colonel said again, "I don't want Falman or Fuery on this assignment. They weren't there, so they don't really know what they would be looking for. I want you to put Dark and Fullmetal on this one."

Hawkeye looked at him for a moment. "Yes, sir."

There was a knock at the door. After staying up all night, Edward lay sleeping on the couch, his stomach hanging out. The knock came again, but Ed just gurgled in his sleep. The knock came again but was louder. One of Ed's eyes opened slowly. He looked at the door as he slowly came into consciousness. He stood up, yawned, and slowly walked over to the door.

Sergeant Brosh stood at the door as Ed opened it. He held a piece of paper, on which Edward saw the Colonel's signature.

"Don't tell me there's another assignment," Ed yawned.

"Afraid so. The Colonel wants you and Al to research on the Phantom Lady. I do believe that Miss Faize will be joining you," Brosh said, smiling mischievously at his last sentence.

"Don't even start on that. I'm too tired to argue," Ed grumbled as he took the paper out of the Sergeant's hands.

"Oh fine. But I heard that a girl is visiting ---" Brosh started before Ed slammed the door in his face.

Ed walked over to the couch and slumped onto it. He held up the piece of paper so he could read it.

"I have to be at the Library at noon," he said lazily. He looked down the hallway to his bedroom door. "I want my room back Winry."

Ed walked into Al's room. Al was lying on his bed, like he usually did, since he was unable to sleep.

"Hey, Al. We got another assignment from the Colonel," Ed said, picking up his clothes off the dresser.

"Why are your clothes in here, Ed?" Al asked.

"I moved them in here before Winry had completely taken over my bedroom. You know, so I wouldn't have to go in there while she was sleeping."

"Oh – I would have thought that you would have wanted to leave your clothes in there then," Al snickered.

"What do you think I am, some kind of pervert!" Ed yelled, as Al continued to laugh. "Stop it! It's not funny! You're just jealous!"

"And what do I have to be jealous of, if you don't like Winry?"

"Exactly! So stop being jealous!"

"What do you mean I can't get those records?" Danielle asked, as the librarian told her the news. "I have permission from Colonel Mustang!"

"It's not under his jurisdiction. He can't even look at them without Lieutenant Bradshaw's permission. Bradshaw's the one who conducted the investigations in those files."

Danielle looked at her and quietly turned toward the door. "I'll be back – with the Lieutenant's permission." She walked out the door and down the steps. "I can't believe this! I can't even get it with the Colonel's permission."

"Danielle Faize," said a voice behind her. She turned to see Lieutenant Bradshaw step out of his car.

"Sir, I need your permission to get a certain set of archives from the library," Danielle said, saluting him.

"I'm sorry," Bradshaw said, in an unconvincingly sympathetic voice. "Those archives can't be seen by just any State Alchemist. But – you're not just any State Alchemist, are you?"

Danielle didn't say anything.

"Tell me your secret and I'll give you permission."

"What secret? Last time I checked, I didn't have any."

Bradshaw's face began to grow angry. "Be careful about your lying, the Fuhrer might label you as a traitor to the State. And then –"

"Hey, Danielle!" called a voice from down the street. Ed and Al walked up beside her.

"Of course I'll give you permission, dear girl. I'm surprised you thought you had to ask," Bradshaw laughed. He took out a piece of paper and signed it. "Here you go! You kids have a great day."

He got into his car and drove off.

"What was that about?" Ed asked.

"Nothing," Danielle replied. "So, I see you made it on time. The Colonel said you might not be here until two."

"What?" Ed yelled.

"Ed, please –" Al said.

"What! All I want to know is why Mustang is suddenly making me look bad!" Ed replied.

"You think he's doing all this on purpose?" Danielle snapped at him. Ed turned to say something, but he restrained himself.

"Can we just go now?" he sighed. He walked up the steps with Al. Danielle stood there, watching him.

"No comeback?" she asked herself. "Maybe he's finally giving into my superiority."

"Superiority? What superiority!" Ed yelled down to her. "You have no superiority! I older and smarter!"

"I didn't hear 'taller'," Danielle smirked. Ed ran down the steps and over to her in a split second.

"Do you want to finish this here and now!" he yelled.

"Not really," Danielle said smoothly, walking past him. "Maybe another time."

"Here's something, but it doesn't say it was the Phantom Lady exactly," Al said, as he flipped through pages. "It says a mysterious woman broke into the research labs in Central."

"Yeah, I found a whole bunch of crap on stuff like that," Ed added, skimming through a book. "Says that the thief took records on top secret Military research. --- Oh, here we go. Here it says that the thief was given the name 'Phantom Lady', because very few had actually seen her. I guess the name got stuck."

" 'Police suspect that alchemy was involved with the break-ins'," Al continued. "So she did create the dolls herself."

"She disappeared five years ago," Danielle said, reading out of a book.

"But now she's back," Ed said, setting the book down. "But what does she want with you?"

"Maybe it has something to do with the way you use alchemy," Al suggested. They both looked at her, but Danielle seemed deep in thought. A streak of black electricity shot from her hand and transformed the book she was holding into a grotesque paper doll.

"Why did you do that!" Ed yelled.

"I – I didn't mean to," Danielle stuttered.

"What do you mean, 'you didn't mean to'?"

"It just happens sometimes, okay! When I build up a lot of emotion, my alchemy reacts!"

Ed and Al just stared at her.

"That's so weird. I've never seen anything like that before. I wonder if there's anything in any books about that. How did you learn how to do that–" Ed said before Danielle's hand flew across the table and smacked him across the face.

"You're a jerk, Ed!" she yelled before running out of the library.

"Hey what was that for!" Ed yelled, grabbing his cheek. He turned to Al. "What's her problem?"

"I think you should apologize, Ed," Al commented.

"Why, what did I do?"

"You sounded a lot like Lieutenant Bradshaw, asking a lot of questions."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Did you really have the right to?"

Ed looked up at Al.

"Hey, I'm going to the store," Winry said, standing in front of Ed and Al. "I'm buying food for this place. Do you guys want to come?"

"I'll go with you, Winry," Al said standing up. They both looked at Ed.

"I don't feel like going," he replied to their stares.

"Oh – okay," Winry said. She continued to stand in front of him. "Ed –"

"What?"

"I need some money."

Ed looked at her, sighed, and pulled out his wallet. He handed her some money. Ed and Al exchanged glances, then Al and Winry left.

Ed continued to sit on the couch. Al and Danielle's words kept running through his head. He stood up and walked into his study. He sat down in his chair and grabbed his notebook. He jotted a few things down in it.

Ed stood up, stretching. He glanced out the window and saw Danielle walking by. He thought about whether or not to apologize.

"It's not like I meant to make her mad," he said to himself.

Danielle stopped a few feet from the front gate of the Elric house. "Stupid jerk," she mumbled. "He didn't even bother to apologize."

"The front door opened and Ed stepped out. They looked at each other for a moment before Danielle turned and continued to walk.

"Hey, wait!" Ed called as he ran to the gate. "Do you want to come in? Winry's not here so we can talk without being disturbed."

"And why would I want to talk to you?"

"Because I want to apologize."

"Nice place you got here," Danielle said. "It's so clean."

"It's temporary. We're just staying here until the Colonel says we can go to do more research."

"What, doesn't Central have enough books?"

"It's more than just book research. Besides, my study has most of the books I need anyway."

Danielle turned to him with her arms crossed.

"Alright, fine," Ed sighed. "I'm sorry for asking so many questions that I had no right to ask." Danielle continued to hold her gaze. Ed had seen that gaze before, from Colonel Mustang. "What? I said I'm sorry!"

"Oh I suppose I can forgive you – this time," Danielle said coolly. "But you may not be so lucky next time."

"I'll remember that," Ed laughed.

"So, who's Winry?"

"Jealous?" Ed smirked.

"No – I was just wandering why she likes shorties –"

"Who are you calling so small that you could step on him like a bug?" Ed yelled, flailing his arms about. Danielle laughed.

"So, where's your study?" she asked. Ed was thrown off by this question, but showed her to his study.

"This is all of your books!" Danielle exclaimed.

"Most of them at least," Ed said proudly.

"Can I look at them?"

"Go ahead." Danielle started rummaging through a pile of books. Ed watched as she disappeared behind a bookcase.

Ed sat down at his desk and stared out the window. He picked up his notebook and opened it. In it were his notes from over the years. Only he could understand his notes though, since he always wrote in code. He read a few pages, sighed, and sat the book down..

Ed looked down at his right arm. A thought hit him. He stood up and ran behind the bookcase to Danielle.

"You used alchemy didn't you?" he asked. Danielle turned and looked at him. "You used a forbidden alchemy, and that's why there's something wrong with your arm."

"No," Danielle merely said. Ed looked at her.

"What do you mean, no? It makes perfect sense!"

"It would if there wasn't one problem with your theory."

"And what's that?"

"I didn't perform the forbidden alchemy, it was performed on me." Ed looked at her, shocked.

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me what happened to you, Ed. You were pretty exact on knowing how forbidden alchemy works," Danielle said.

"Why don't you ask the Colonel, I'm sure he'll tell you," Edward replied. Danielle looked down.

"I already tried," she muttered. "He said that you would tell me if you trusted me enough."

"That's – what he said to me. What's up with the Colonel these days?"

Danielle turned back to the bookcase. Ed looked at her. She pulled out a book titled _The Forbidden Sciences_.

"This is the book –" Danielle explained. "— It has the procedure." She slumped to the floor.

Ed continued to look at her. "You don't have to tell me," he said, sitting beside her.

"It's not that I don't trust you, because I do," she muttered, clutching the book to her chest. "It's just –"

Ed smiled at her words. "Hey, you don't have to explain to me. I trust you, too."

Danielle looked up at him. Ed seemed to be deciding something.

"We used human transmutation to try and bring our mother back from the dead. I lost my left leg and Al lost his entire body. I sacrificed my right arm in order to attach Al's soul to the suit of armor he's in."

"Ed –"

"Don't worry. I wanted to tell you."

"Can I see it?"

Ed took off both of his jackets and his white glove. His mechanical arm glistened in the setting sun's light.

Danielle looked at it, and then at her own.

"The skin on my hands can't come into contact with each other, or so much alchemic power will be created."

"What happens then?"

"I don't know, it happened once, right after the accident. I woke up in the hospital, with Colonel Mustang by my side. I don't remember anything."

"So nothing's in that suit of armor?" Danielle asked.

"Nothing but his soul."

"A spirit attachment is very impressive."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Ed replied, standing up. Danielle stood up too.

"You really are a prodigy, aren't you, Ed?" Danielle smiled, slapping him on the back. Ed laughed and returned the slap, a little too hard. Danielle stumbled into the bookshelf. The books came tumbling down on them.

Danielle got on her hands and knees and looked at Ed, who was lying underneath her.

"Hey, Ed! We're back!" called a voice outside the door. The door flew open and Al and Winry stood there.

"Uh – er – this isn't – we weren't – damn, this sucks," Ed stuttered. Danielle stood up very quickly.

"You must be Winry!" she laughed nervously. "I'd say I heard so much about you, but me and Ed hardly talk, rarely ever at all. Um – actually, I've never heard of Edward Elric!" She slowly inched her way toward the bookcase. Winry reached out and grabbed them both.

"Do you think Winry is mad?" Al asked, as he and Ed sat on the couch.

"Nah! Are you kidding? She's just … shocked," Ed replied. There was a loud crash in Ed's room. He sighed. "Of course, after that lecture we got –"

"Yeah, I got it too, and I wasn't even the one who snuck a girl into the house. I thought you weren't looking for anybody."

"What! What! No, we were just talking and the books fell – we weren't – damn it, Al!"

"And I didn't think it would be Danielle, at least.'

"Why, what's wrong with her?"

"Nothing, she just didn't seem like your type."

"She's a good friend. Even though she has a short temper."

"Look who's talking," Al mumbled. "So why was she here anyway?"

"You told me to apologize, so I did."

"Wow, Ed, I'm proud of you."

Ed sat in silence. Al looked down at him.

"Don't worry, brother, I'm sure Winry will forgive you."

"What! Why would it matter to me!" Ed yelled.

"Where have you been?" Colonel Mustang asked. Danielle stood in the Colonel's study.

"I was at the Elric house, sir," she replied.

"And why were you there?" Lieutenant Hawkeye entered the study.

"We were talking."

"Did you say anything?"

"I just told him what was wrong with me, not what happened."

The Colonel thought for a moment. He and Lieutenant Hawkeye looked at each other for a moment.

"In the city of Windal, there's been a report of an alchemist causing trouble. I'm sending you, Fullmetal, and the other two female alchemist to look in on it."

"Aleeya and Isabelle have been notified. The train in scheduled to leave at 0845, sir," Hawkeye reported.

"Good, now, I want you to go and inform the Elrics of their assignment."

"Yes, sir," she saluted. She turned and walked out the door. Danielle looked from the door, to Colonel Mustang. He continued to stare at the door.

"Why don't you tell her how you feel?" Danielle asked. Mustang looked at her.

"Why don't you tell Edward how you feel?" he replied. Danielle stood there in silence for a moment.

"Because there's nothing to tell," she said. Colonel Mustang looked surprised at her answer. Then he smiled.

"I feel exactly the same," he said. Then he gave Danielle permission to leave.

---------------- Preview of Next Episode -------------------

Danielle turned from him.

"Well if you don't think they're trouble, then go and continue being happy!"

"What is that suppose to mean?" Ed replied.

"Why are you still back here?"

"I was making sure you were okay!" Ed exclaimed. Danielle continued to look at him.

"I don't need you to look after me. Besides, nothing going to hap –"

The window shattered as someone slammed through it and threw Ed against the wall.

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	5. The Perfection and Mixing Alchemists

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I started writing this fanfiction before I actually knew Fullmetal Alchemist. So _my_ Scar character wasn't exactly the one from FMA. He was pretty close though. But I went back and edited him, so now he's better. Also, this episode was originally longer than what I have written down. I split it in half and plan on making the other half the next episode. I did add a lot to this episode though. It's amazing how many differences there are from this fanfic, and the original. Haha oh well. Episode 5: The Perfection and Mixing Alchemists 

The train whistle blew inside the train station. Ed and Al sat on a bench, waiting for Danielle to purchase food for the trip. She walked over to Al and handed him the food.

"So where are those two?" she asked, looking around the station.

"No clue," Ed replied. "We were actually on time, and for what? To wait?"

"The train will be leaving soon," Al reminded them. "So if they don't get here soon, we'll have to leave them."

"More room for me to sleep," Ed commented. Danielle tossed him a dirty look.

"We can wait a couple of more minutes," she said, looking up at the clock. "Hey! That's for the trip! You can't have any now!" She smacked Ed's hand that was searching in the bag of food she had bought.

"Hello," said two cheery voices behind them. The three turned to see Isabelle and Aleeya walking up to them.

"Sorry we're late," Aleeya apologized. "We had to finish up some business."

They all climbed onto the train. Ed sat down beside Al. Danielle turned to sit down as well, when Isabelle and Aleeya pushed past her and sat in the seat facing Ed and Al. Danielle stood up straight and looked at them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you going to sit here?" Isabelle asked.

"No, no, I'll just take the seat behind you guys," Danielle said through gritted teeth. She turned and sat behind them.

An hour passed by. Danielle was laying down in her seat listening to the others.

"So anyway, how did _she_ get accepted into the Military?" Aleeya asked, tossing back her long red hair. "I mean, what was that whole thing with the electricity?"

"Why didn't she do it for her Exam?" Isabelle added, flashing her electric green eyes. "If she could do it all the time, then she would have. I think it was just a fluke, don't you?"

Danielle's face grew red. She sat up in her seat.

"Well, she can do it all the time. And she's very good with it. It's quite impressive," Ed replied.

"Well, I bet she's not as impressive as you, Edward," Aleeya said dreamily.

"Yeah, the 'Fullmetal' Alchemist," Isabelle sighed.

"Well, I don't like to brag, but –" Ed laughed. Danielle looked over the seat, ready to crush him, but she stopped. She was looking at Ed. He was smiling; something he hadn't _truly_ done in a long time. Danielle decided to let him enjoy the moment. She turned back around .

"May I sit here?" Al asked, standing at Danielle's seat. Danielle nodded and Al sat across from her.

"How long until we reach Windal?" Danielle asked.

"It should be another hour. It's East, near Youswell," Al replied.

"Oh. I've never been there. Of course I haven't been a lot of places."

"Where is Pyre?"

"It's a ways northeast of New Optain," Danielle said. She laid down in the seat.

"Are you okay?" Al asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I saw you look over the seat at Ed. I'm glad you didn't say anything. I didn't want to hear you and Ed fight."

"It's not like I enjoy fighting with him. He's just so – arrogant sometimes. And naïve. And stubborn!"

"Yeah, Ed is kind of at a low point today. He was too busy talking to Aleeya and Isabelle to pay any attention to me."

"Men are all the same. Find a pretty face and they're captivated."

"You really think that?" Al asked.

"Most of the time," Danielle sighed. "I just never seem to be able to make people happy."

"That's not necessarily true," Al protested.

They both sat in silence for a long moment, both searching through their own thoughts. On kept retracing itself through Danielle's mind.

'_Why didn't you stop it? You knew what it was, why did you let it happen?' _Colonel Mustang's voice echoed through her head.

"The only way to make others happy, is to first make yourself happy," Al said, breaking the silence.

"Wow, Al, have you ever thought of being a philosopher?" Danielle laughed. But his words seemed to hit her somehow, and she kept them in the back of her mind.

"You said that all men are the same. Well all girls are the same, too," Al said.

"I don't think so," Danielle said.

"Well, that's because you're a girl. I meant that girls are hard to read. You can't tell when they're angry or sad."

"Well, you can read me like a book. I don't see what the problem is."

"That's because you give your emotions through your eyes. And I'm good at reading that. But sometimes it's still a mystery."

"Well, if you ever need help deciphering a girl's feelings, tell me and I'll be glad to help," Danielle smiled.

"Okay," Al laughed. "I'm glad to see that you're happy again.

"Thank, Al," Danielle said. "I'm going to call the Colonel on the switchboard and tell him that we're almost to Windal."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Al asked as she stood up. "A few times I was on the train, some bad things happened."

"Don't worry, I'm a big girl. I'll be fine," Danielle smiled. She walked down past the others, through the back doors.

"Where is she going?" Aleeya asked.

"To call Colonel Mustang," Al answered.

"Why does she get to? She's not the leader!" Isabelle complained.

"Colonel Mustang probably asked her to since he trusts her," Al replied.

"And why is that?" Aleeya said.

"Well, he is her uncle, so –" Al started.

"Her uncle? No wonder she made it into the Military! That explains everything!" Isabelle exclaimed. She and Aleeya smiled to themselves.

"Colonel Mustang?" Danielle said, holding the phone up to her ear. "We're almost to Windal. It should be about forty-five more minutes. Yes, sir – everyone is on board." She listened to Colonel Mustang closely. "They what? Are you sure? Yes, sir. Good bye." Danielle sat the phone down.

"So Bradshaw's been bribing those two? And that's why they were late," she said to herself. She closed the door to the switchboard room. She walked down the line of private apartments, when she heard something hit the wall inside one of them. She slowly slid open the door of one of it to investigate. Nothing was in there. She looked around and then walked over to the window. Someone touched her shoulder. She clapped her hands together, making her electric whip and swung it behind her. She threw the person into the compartment seat.

"Ed?" she yelled in surprise. Ed laid on the seat looking up at her.

"Your whip didn't hurt me at all. Shouldn't electricity hurt?" Ed said. Danielle let go of the whip and it disappeared.

"Why are you back here?" she asked.

"Because Al told me you came back here," Ed said.

"Why did you leave your two new best friends? I'm sure they're dying to hear you brag some more," Danielle said, aggravated.

"What's that suppose to mean!" Ed yelled, more for the reason that he was being yelled at.

"Did you know that both of them were reported to be talking to Lieutenant Bradshaw?"

"So?"

Danielle turned from him.

"Well if you don't think they're trouble, then go and continue being happy!"

"What is that suppose to mean?" Ed replied.

"Why are you still back here?"

"I was making sure you were okay!" Ed exclaimed. Danielle continued to look at him.

"I don't need you to look after me. Besides, nothing going to hap –"

The window shattered as someone slammed through it and threw Ed against the wall. It was a man with white blond and brown hair. He wore dark glasses, with a large x-shaped scar across his face.

"It's been a while, 'Fullmetal' Alchemist," the man said. "It's time you accepted your fate." He raised his tattooed arm to Ed. Electricity wrapped around it and pulled him back.

"How the hell did you get on here?" Ed asked.

"Who is this guy, Ed?" Danielle asked, holding the man back.

"He's the guy who's been killing State Alchemists left and right. We call him 'Scar'."

"Mustang told me about him," Danielle said, continuing to pull on the electricity. "We can turn him in."

"It's not that easy," Ed said.

"Another State Alchemist?" Scar exclaimed. "Where's your watch?"

Danielle blushed. "It's none of your business where I keep my watch!" she exclaimed. Ed looked at her.

Scar twisted back and grabbed Danielle by the throat. He held her against the wall. His tattoo began to glow red; his hand grew hot. Ed hit him away from Danielle. She grabbed her throat. Ed swung at Scar again, but Scar dodged him. He grabbed Ed's coat and threw him against the wall. Danielle pulled him away. She clapped her hands together and tied his hands behind his back.

"This guy is crazy," Danielle gasped.

"You have no idea," Ed said. Scar struggled to break free. "He's gotten close to killing me."

"You will not escape me this time," Scar said.

"Sorry to tell you, but I don't think you'll be –" Danielle started. Scar kneed her in the stomach. She gasped and let go of her rope, and it disappeared.

Scar grabbed Ed and threw him up, against the compartment ceiling. Then he turned to Danielle, who was on her hands and knees, trying to catch her breathe. She looked up at him, helplessly, as he grabbed her and threw her out the window.

"No!" Ed yelled, before Scar turned and kicked him.

"Brother? Brother! Are you okay?" Al called to Ed, who was lying on a bench outside the train station.

"What happened?" Ed moaned, grabbing his head. "I feel like I got run over by a truck."

"I think we arrived just in time," Al said. "Scar was about to finish you off when I decided to go back and check up on you guys. Scar jumped out the window and onto the roof. He must have thought three was too many for the moment."

"Did you go after him?"

"I tried, but when I got onto the roof, was gone."

"That bastard. He almost did us both in – where's Danielle!" Ed asked, glancing around.

"I don't know brother."

"Scar threw her out the window!" Ed explained.

"What!"

"How far are we from the time when found me?"

"About twenty minutes, probably thirty miles." Al said. "But there's not a train going back that way for a while."

"Then we'll have to walk," Ed said.

"Hello, this is Colonel Mustang," the Colonel said, answering his phone. He was scanning through papers that had been placed on his desk.. "Ah, 'Fullmetal', you must be in Windal by now. Calm down, Elric, what's wrong?"

Lieutenant Hawkeye and Major Armstrong turned to listen. The only noise was from Black Hayate, who was digging in the wastebasket.

"You don't know where she is?" Colonel Mustang asked calmly. "Do you have a general idea? I see. Well, I want you to take the others and start searching there. Check in the town nearby, as well. She may be there."

Hawkeye and Armstrong watched as he set the phone down and folded his hands together.

"It seems we've had a mishap on the train. Danielle is missing and Edward is still dazed."

"Do you want us to go search?" Hawkeye asked. Mustang thought for a moment.

"My biggest concern," he said, " is that the news is the crazed alchemist has left Windal. I fear he may have jumped to another city. And the one closest to Windal, is in the area Ed described as the place they were attacked."

"What are your orders, sir," Armstrong asked.

"I guess this counts as our first assignment?" Aleeya asked.

"We have to find our fearless leader," Isabelle said sarcastically.

"This isn't what I expected when I became a State Alchemist." They both looked over at Ed, who stared off down the road they were about to take.

"What's the matter, Ed?" Aleeya asked.

"I'm just worried," he replied.

"About that fake? I personally think we're better off without her."

"I wish you would stop putting her down!" Ed said angrily. Al looked at him.

"Sorry, we didn't know you had such strong feelings for her," Isabelle muttered as she crossed her arms.

"She and I are alike, and that's what gives us a connection. That's what makes us friends," Ed smiled.

"We're going to find a map," both girls said, walking off to find a ticket clerk.

"Wow, Ed, that was a great speech. Short, but great," Al applauded.

"Yeah, well, I had to get them to shut up somehow. Come on, let's go. I really don't want them to come," Ed said, grabbing his and Danielle's bag, and running toward the exit.

"But I thought you liked them," Al said, keeping up with his brother.

"Are you kidding me? They talk too much."

'_So Danielle wasn't right about you, Brother. She'll be glad.'_ Al thought to himself. They both continued running down the road. '_I just hope she's okay. And I know you do too.'_

Preview of Next Episode

"Brother, she won't wake up!" Al exclaimed. Ed took her from Al, who was covered in blood.

"Edward, behind you!" Al yelled. Ed turned and saw Dayus, holding his scalpel. He had a deranged grin on his face. He stabbed at Ed, but Al jumped in front of him. The scalpel bent against his armor.

Dayus pulled another chain, dropping another operating table onto Al. Ed fell back, Danielle still in his arms. He gasped.

On the table were animals – dead animals. Each cut open and missing organs.

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	6. If Only revised

Episode 6: If Only 

Danielle slowly opened her eyes and groaned. She glanced around the dark, musty room that strangely resembled an operating room. She must have been found by the Military, and sent to the hospital. She went to sit up, but she was bound to what appeared to be an operating table. Then she began to think.

'_Why was it so dark? And where was everyone? Surely the Colonel, or at least, a doctor would be in the room.' _

She struggled for a moment, but gave up, feeling extremely weak. She had a huge gash on her left arm, and her glove was ripped. Dried blood stained her skin and clothing. She recalled most of what happened on the train, but some parts were fuzzy. She could remember looking up at Scar, into his red eyes, as he picked her up.

Danielle looked around the room. It was dimly lit. The walls were lined with cages, which held strange creatures. There were also jars on shelves that were filled with strange liquids and what looked to be like – organs. Human and animal organs. Danielle let out a gasp.

"I see you're awake," came a voice from the stairway. A man stepped into the light. He had dark, messy hair and squinted eyes. "You seem to have taken quite a beating."

"Are you the one who brought me here?" Danielle asked.

"Yes, I couldn't just leave you out in the forest for the wild animals to eat, could I?" the man replied. His voice was cold.

"Thank you, but why am I buckled to this table?"

"Because I can't have you running away. Not when I need something from you." The man walked over to a table and shuffled through papers.

"What do you mean?"

"Hush. You'll find out soon… yes, you should do nicely."

"What do you mean?" Danielle said, more demandingly.

"Your blood will help me finish my experiment."

"What!"

"Silly girl. Haven't you looked around? I make chimeras," the man said, turning to her. " Not just any chimeras, I use different animal parts and fuse them together. It's more difficult that way, since most of them aren't alive."

"You're the alchemist from Windal!" Danielle exclaimed. The man laughed.

"I thought you might be from the Military. I am Dayus Rogers, once known as the 'Splicing' Alchemist when I, too, was in the Military. Then they released me for becoming _too_ obsessed with my work."

"I can see why they thought that," Danielle said. Dayus pulled open a drawer beside Danielle. Inside, various tools lay, as if an operation were about to take place. He grabbed a scalpel and held it up.

"I thought you were just going to take my blood," Danielle said, uneasily.

"Did you think that I was just going to use a needle?" Dayus laughed. "I need more blood than that. A creature can't live off of just a pint. I need more."

He held the scalpel to her wrist. Danielle closed her eyes as the sharp blade sliced through her skin. She held her breath in. Blood poured into a little groove on the table, which dripped it into a container.

"And what do you plan on doing to me after this?" Danielle asked.

"Well, blood can't circulate by itself, and seeing as you'll probably be dead by the time I get enough blood, I plan to cut out your heart."

Danielle laughed, more out of comfort for herself than the insanity of the idea. Dayus walked back upstairs, leaving her to her fate.

Danielle looked at the buckles bounding her to the table. She struggled once more, but found that was the last thing she should do. She began to feel tired. '_It's amazing how fast this will be over.'_ She shook her head in anger. She shouldn't think those kind of thoughts. Someone would surely find her. Surely.

"Uncle Roy," she muttered, holding back tears. Nothing replied but the silence. Electricity rose from her hands, but even that seemed weak.

A knock came at the door above. But Danielle hardly took any notice to it. Thoughts ran through her head so fast, it gave her a strong headache.

"I hope Edward is okay," Danielle said, recalling the train incident. She closed her eyes, with that last thought in her head.

"Why yes, I do recall seeing someone that matches the description you gave me," came Dayus' voice from upstairs. "Would you come this way?"

Footsteps echoed from the stairs into the silent room.

"I'm glad that we finally found her," came Edward's voice. He and Alphonse followed Dayus into the room.

"At least you get to see her one last time."

"What?" Ed asked, slightly confused. He turned and caught site of Danielle. "Danielle!"

"I'm terribly sorry, but she was the only specimen I could use at the moment," Dayus said, apologetically. Ed turned and grabbed him by the throat.

"You monster! What have you done!" he yelled. Dayus only gasped for air. "Al, get Danielle."

Al nodded his head and ran over to her. He ripped off the belts and lifted her out of the pool of blood.

"No, I don't have enough!" Dayus gasped, as he reached out and pulled open a cage door. A bat like chimera flew at Al, and swooped down at his head.

"You bastard!" Ed yelled, hitting Dayus to the floor.

"Brother, she won't wake up!" Al exclaimed. Ed walked over to him. He could see the tear streaks on Danielle's face. He took her from Al, who was covered in blood.

"Edward, behind you!" Al yelled. Ed turned and saw Dayus, holding his scalpel. He had a deranged grin on his face. He stabbed at Ed, but Al jumped in front of him. The scalpel bent against his armor.

Dayus pulled another chain, dropping another operating table onto Al. Ed fell back, Danielle still in his arms. He gasped.

On the table were animals – dead animals. Each cut open and missing organs.

"Give me back that girl! I need her still beating heart!"

Ed stood up. Al raised the table off of him. He grabbed Dayus and held him up in the air.

"I will personally deliver you to the authorities," Al said, his voice shaking. "What you've done – it's unforgivable."

"You should know about unforgivable things, shouldn't you, boy?" Dayus laughed. Al hesitated at his words. "I can tell a human transmutation attempt when I see one. Am I right?"

"Shut up!" Ed yelled. "You know nothing!

"Seems I've hit a soft spot."

"Shut up!"

"Are you going to try and resurrect her too?"

"SHUT UP!" Ed went to transmute a weapon to attack Dayus, but Alphonse had already thrown him to the ground. One of the cages, worked open, and a dog-like chimera lunged out. Ed stumbled back behind a row of shelves. He sat down, dripping sweat and covered in blood.

"I have to stop the bleeding," Ed muttered to himself. He ripped off a strip of cloth from his coat. He tore that in half and tied them tightly around each of Danielle's wrists. "Please be alright. Please don't be –"

Sounds of Dayus and Al wrestling around grew closer. The bat-like chimera flew above them, screeching at the battle. Ed pulled Danielle closer to him.

Al flew across the room as the dog chimera attacked him.

"Where is my specimen?" Dayus' voice said, close by. He appeared in front of Ed with a raised carving knife. "There you are –"

A gunshot echoed in the room. Dayus coughed and fell forward. Ed closed his eyes and held Danielle tightly.

"Search for anybody else!" yelled a voice from the stairway. Footsteps came closer. "Edward, come on!"

"You won't hurt her anymore! I won't let you!" he yelled, hardly taking notice to what was happening.

"I don't want to hurt her, Ed." Ed opened his eyes and looked up. Lieutenant Hawkeye stood there, holding her gun. "We have to take her now, Edward. She needs help," she said. Major Armstrong came over and took Danielle away from Ed.

Ed looked at his bloodstained gloves for a moment, and then buried his face into his arms. Lieutenant Hawkeye looked at him, trying to find words of comfort, but none came. She turned and followed Major Armstrong up the stairs.

Al walked over, leaving the chimeras lying on the floor. "Brother," he said softly.

"It was just like with Nina. I wasn't there to protect her," Ed said.

"It's not your fault," Al said, trying to comfort him. "You didn't know, there was nothing more you could have done."

"You don't understand!" Ed yelled. Al looked at him, feeling the same pain of loss. "You just don't understand."

Well that's it! That's the End…. Oh just kidding, sillies. This isn't even half the series. HAHA gotcha good. Anyway Preview of Next Episode:

"Sorry, guess I wasn't much of a cook. Be careful with the eggs, I think there may be some shells in them." Winry turned to the stove. "The noodles are almost done. Hopefully they'll turn out alright."

Al walked in behind Ed.

"Wow, Winry. Why are you cooking all of this?" he asked.

"I know how Ed has his huge appetite," she laughed.

"Thanks again, Winry, but I'm not very hungry," Ed said. Winry looked at him.

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	7. Flames of Wrath

Episode 7: Flames of Wrath

Winry sat on the front porch waiting for Ed and Al to return from their assignment. She yawned and stared out into the dusk horizon. The wind blew gently, throwing back her blonde hair. She caught sight of Edward and Alphonse as they walked up the street.

"Hey, you guys! Welcome back," she smiled, gleefully. "How was your trip?"

Ed walked past her without saying a word. Winry turned and watched him enter the house and close the door behind him. She turned back to Alphonse, who towered above her. Her expression was less happy.

"He wanted me to tell you that he was taking his room back," Al said, feeling guilty for Ed's sudden action. "You can take my room, Winry."

"That's okay, Al. I'm leaving tomorrow night, anyway," Winry said, trying to hold a smile. "I'm guessing things didn't go too well for you guys?"

Al shook his head. He glanced up at the window that was Ed's bedroom. "Ed took a huge hit by what happened. He thinks that it was his fault."

"What does he think is his fault?" Winry asked.

Ed lay on his bed, watching the moon cross the night sky. He was in thought about what had happened. Since he had returned home, that's all he had done. He hadn't left his room and it was now about two o'clock in the morning. All that Ed could think about was himself walking down the stairs in Dayus's house and seeing Danielle lying on the table, motionless. He kept thinking of ways he could have bettered the outcome, but then he remember what really happened and it only threw him deeper into his sadness.

Ed looked up as his bedroom door opened and Winry peered inside.

"May I come in?" she asked.

"Sure," Ed replied, not really taking notice. Winry came in and sat on the foot of his bed. They were silent.

Time seemed to stand still for Ed. Nothing seemed real at the moment, so many things had gone bad, and he didn't want to believe any of it.

"Al told be what happened," Winry said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" Ed said, staring out of the window.

"You do know that it wasn't your fault?"

"That's what I am told, but I can't help but feel that I played a big part in what happened," Ed explained, looking at her. "I keep thinking of all the things I could have done differently; things that could have helped."

Winry sat silently looking at Ed. He still had blood smeared on his face. Was he really so troubled that he didn't care about his cleanliness?

"You really care about her, don't you?" she asked.

"Maybe the Colonel was right. Maybe I just became obsessed because I wanted to know more about her. Maybe that's the only reason why I cared about what happened to her," Ed replied. "But, then why do I feel so bad?"

Winry looked down at the floor. "Maybe you feel so bad, because you consider her a good friend. I hope that you would feel bad if something like that happened to me."

"Of course I would," Ed exclaimed. "I wouldn't see why you'd think that!"

"I'm just saying that you aren't just 'obsessed' with finding out who she is, but that you care for her because she is your friend."

Ed sat up and smiled at her. "Thanks, Winry."

"I'm glad I could help a little bit," Winry said, smiling back. "Oh, and Sergeant Brosh came by and said that tomorrow, they're allowing visitors into Danielle's room at the hospital."

"That means she's going to be okay," Ed said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Winry stood up and picked up Ed's dirty clothes. She wasn't comfortable with all the blood, but she kept her bearing. She walked over to the door and turned around.

"I made dinner for you if you want something," she said.

"I'm not hungry, but thanks anyway," Ed replied, giving her a weak smile. Winry closed the door behind her. Ed sighed and lay back down. He returned to his thoughts. He thought most of the night until he fell asleep and into grim dreams.

When the sun rose the next day, Ed was woken by the smell of bacon. He got up and walked downstairs into the kitchen.

Winry was in an apron, cooking over the stove. She put some bacon on a plate. They looked burnt.

"Sorry, guess I was never much good at cooking. Be careful with the eggs, I think there may be some shells in them," she laughed. "The noodles are almost done. Hopefully they'll turn out alright."

Al walked in behind Ed. "Wow, Winry, why are you cooking all of this?" he asked.

"I know how Ed has his huge appetite," she laughed.

"Thanks again, Winry," Ed said. "But I'm not very hungry."

Winry looked at him. "Oh, I see," she said, sounding a little hurt. Al's hand came out of nowhere and slapped Ed in the face. Ed looked around, perplexed. He realized what had happened and rounded on Alphonse.

"What the hell was that for!" Ed yelled, holding the side of his face.

"Ed, you have to eat something! You can't just live off the air!" Al said crossly. "Besides, Winry made all of this, hoping to cheer you up!"

Ed looked at Winry. She stood beside the stove, holding the spatula in her hands.

"Maybe just a bit," he said, sitting down at the table. Winry smiled with joy, placing everything she had made in front of Ed. She sat down on the opposite side and watching him, waiting for him to begin eating. Ed took his fork and tasted the noodles.

"These are delicious!" he yelled. He began eating faster and more ferociously. Al sighed. He turned and looked at Winry, who was smiling at Ed's enjoyment.

"I thought he said he wasn't hungry," Al muttered. Winry just laughed. They both heard loud crunching as Ed devoured the bacon.

"Colonel, sir," Lieutenant Hawkeye saluted, as she stood in front of Mustang's desk. "Visitors are permitted at 1500 hours, sir."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," he said calmly. "And what of Dayus Rogers?"

"He is in critical condition, sir," Hawkeye replied. She shuffled threw papers in her hand. "The gunshot wound he received barely missed his heart."

"You would have been better off just killing him. I know you didn't miss killing him by accident. Has his sentence been announced?"

"Death - sir," Hawkeye replied. She seemed to have wanted to hold this information back.

"Tell the Führer that I personally want to be his executioner."

"But, sir - don't you feel that you may be taking this too personally -" 

"Of course I'm taking this personally! That damn monster almost killed her! And she'd still in danger! I want to make sure that he gets exactly what he deserves!" Colonel Mustang, realizing his behavior, stood up and calmly walked over to the window. "This is the second time, Riza. I want to make sure I do something about it this time. Now please fulfill my request."

Lieutenant Hawkeye saluted him. She walked to the door and glanced back at the Colonel. He continued to look out the window. She quietly closed the door behind her as she left.

"I won't just sit here and let everything happen again," Mustang muttered. He looked around, as if to see if anyone was listening to him. He walked over to his awards frame and pulled it back to reveal a safe. He turned the knob several times. It opened and he pulled out a folder.

The Colonel walked over and sat at his desk, staring at the folder. He folded his hands together and closed his eyes. He thoughts began to wonder.

He could remember everything like it had happened yesterday. He got a call from an anonymous source that something strange had happened at his sister's house. He was told that there had been bright lights coming from the house.

Mustang had raced over there as soon as he could. Once he arrived, it seemed that no one was home, but he entered anyway. Everything seemed in order. Nothing had been broken. Nothing was out of place. He had figured that maybe the anonymous call was just a prank and that Charista, his sister, and her family had went out for the weekend. That's when he had noticed that the basement door had been left open. Charista's husband never left the basement open to anyone for any reason. It was his laboratory/study.

Mustang walked over and opened the door. The basement was mostly dark, except for a faint glow. He walked down the stairs quietly. He stepped down onto the floor and into liquid. They must have had a leak in the house. Maybe that's why the door was left open. But Mustang followed the glow to a small mass on the ground. He couldn't tell what it was; the light was too dim. He snapped his fingers for a quick glimpse of everything. Light flashed for a split second, and Roy Mustang fell to his knees in horror.

The Colonel seemed to snap out of his daydream. He opened his eyes and looked around. He was alone in his office. He looked back down to the folder.

"I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing. It's time I took action for what I lost; for what she lost. "We'll see just how far the Fullmetal Alchemist has come."

Ed grabbed his red coat and put it on. He turned to leave his study, when he saw a book lying on the floor. It was the book Danielle had taken off the shelf. He picked it up and opened it, flipping through the pages.

"Any of these things could have caused it," he sighed, turning page after page. He turned to a page with a huge transmutation circle on it. The transmutation circle he and Al had used when they tried to bring back their mother. He closed the book, not wanting to look at anything else. He and Al had to leave.

"See you in a bit," Ed said, walking to the front door.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Al asked.

"No, you guys go ahead," Winry called after them. Ed and Al waved goodbye and closed the door.

"Winry is really trying hard to cheer you up lately," Al pointed out, as he and Ed made their way to the hospital. Ed looked at him.

"Yeah, it's kinda creepy," he replied.

They walked up to a huge hospital. Inside, they found the nurse's station.

"May I help you?" a nurse asked, noticing them.

"Yes," Ed said, "we want to know what room Danielle Faize is in." The nurse looked through her book. She stopped on a page and ran her finger down it.

"She is in room 1093, but no one is allowed to visit until three o'clock," she informed them.

"But it's two o'clock!" Ed argued. "What's it going to matter if we go in an hour early?"

"Sorry, doctor's orders."

Ed started to say something, but Al stopped him. "We can just wait an hour outside her room. It's not that long."

Ed sighed, and he followed Al down the hallway to find room 1093. They turned the corner and saw Lieutenant Bradshaw harassing a troubled looking doctor.

"Tell me what you know about her! I know that you know something. You were her doctor when she was little!" Bradshaw said, his face turning red.

"I cannot tell you, all information is confidential," the doctor said. Bradshaw seemed to loose his temper and he shoved the doctor against the wall.

"Hey!" Ed yelled, disapproving of the situation. He clapped his hands together and threw them to the ground. Large hands grew out of the ground and pulled Bradshaw to the wall.

"What the- what do you think you are doing?!" he yelled.

"You need to respect other people, there, Lieutenant," Ed said, walking up to him.

"You mind your own business, boy," Bradshaw spat.

"Sounds like you need to do the same."

Bradshaw merely glared at Edward. Ed grinned.

"Now, I'm going to let you go, and you're going to walk away without another word," Ed explained. Ed clapped his hands again and the hands around Bradshaw disappeared. Bradshaw walked away glaring at Ed. Edward ignored it and turned to the doctor.

"Thank you, young man," was all the doctor said before turning away. Ed, confused, sat down in a chair and waited for three o'clock to come. Al sat next to him.

Ed laid across two chairs asleep.

"It's amazing how you can fall asleep so fast," Al muttered. Ed mumbled in his sleep.

"I see you boys are here," said a voice by them. Colonel Mustang walked around the corner and stood in front of them.

"Yeah, so what's your point?" Ed said, his eyes still closed.

"No point. But I have another assignment for you, Elric. Report to my office a week from now. I'll have everything ready."

The doctor that Ed had saved from Bradshaw appeared and unlock Danielle's door.

"Dr. Clarkson, it's been a while," Mustang replied.

"And you, Mustang. I am guessing you are all here to see Danielle. I am afraid she is still unconscious; stable, but unconscious," the doctor said. " I must say, she is a strong girl. Whoever wrapped her wrist most likely saved her life."

Colonel Mustang looked at Ed. He, Ed, and Al walked into the bedroom. Danielle was lying on the bed. Her wrists were bandaged and she looked very pale. Ed couldn't help but feel a guilty pain in his stomach. He and Al looked at Colonel Mustang, who just stood in silence. None of them knew what to say.

"Would you mind leaving me alone with her for a moment?" Mustang asked. Ed and Al nodded their heads and left the room. Al closed the door and looked down each end of the hallway. He heard Ed behind him.

"Ed! What are you doing?!" he gasped.

"Nothing," Ed grinned, holding one end of a cord he had transmutated from the wall to his ear.

"Ed!"

"Don't worry. I'm just listening."

"Obviously."

Colonel Mustang walked over to Danielle's beside and looked down at her. "Don't worry," he said, "I plan on dealing with the man who did this to you. I'll make sure of it. He'll pay for everything. I'm sure Edward will help."

Mustang walked over to the door and opened it. Ed stood there, staring at him.

"I'm not going to help you execute Dayus," Ed said.

"I don't need your help with that," Mustang said. "I'm on my way there now."

"Look, I'm angry about all of this too, but we don't need to take drastic measures."

The Colonel stood there for a moment before walking past them both. He had a smile on his face. "I wasn't talking about Dayus." And with that said, he walked away.

"I don't understand what he means," Al said.

"Neither do I," Ed agreed. They both walked into Danielle's room. They each sat down in a chair near the bed. Both of them just stared at her, not really sure on what to say.

"This is kind of – awkward," Ed murmured.

"Just a little bit," Al said.

The door opened and a nurse walked into the room. "Oh, hello," she said. "I didn't think that anyone was in here."

"Sorry, do you need us to leave?" Al asked.

"Oh, no. I just came to check up on her." The nurse turned to leave but stopped. She turned to Ed, saying, "What is your name?"

"Edward Elric," Ed replied suspiciously. The nurse nodded her head as if she had just confirmed something.

"Danielle was talking about you in her sleep."

"WHAT?!" Ed and Al said, both surprised.

"Yes, I do believe she called you an idiotic, self-centered, midget," the nurse said, smiling.

"What?!!" Ed yelled furiously.

"Doctor Clarkson said that she would be thankful to you anyway. He's been her doctor since she was a little girl," the nurse said. Then she left the room. Ed turned back to Danielle.

"I doubt she will be thankful," he mumbled.

"Brother, I almost forgot! Winry said she was leaving today. We should be with her," Al said.

"Yeah, let's go," Ed replied.

The train sat on the track as smoke billowed out from the engine. The platform was full of people waiting to leave Central and people who wanted into Central. Al and Ed waited with Winry while she waited for her time to get onto the train.

"Hey, I'm gonna miss you guys," Winry said. "I'll come and visit again, soon, okay?"

"We'd like that," Al said.

"'Cause we're friends, and we'll always have each other," she added.

"And we'll always care about each other, no matter what," Ed chimed in. Winry smiled at him, glad that she convinced Ed that he cared for Danielle as a friend, instead of an obsession.

The train whistle blew and the three knew that it was time for the departure.

"Well, I guess I'll see you guys soon," she said, smiling brightly. Ed smiled back. Winry climbed onto the train and waved to them out of the window. Ed and Al watched as the train pulled out of the station and out of sight.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" Ed asked.

"Ed, you have such a one track mind. Is food really all you think about?" Al asked, disappointed in Ed's words.

"Great! Let's try that new café down the street," Ed said, walking away.

"Ed!" Al complained as he tried to catch up with his brother.


	8. Mission To Pyre

Episode 8:

A few days had passed since Ed had first been to visit Danielle while she was in the hospital. Nothing had changed. She was still unconscious. She hadn't gotten worse, but she hadn't gotten better. No visitors had been allowed in the room since the day Ed and Al had first came, except for the Colonel. They had been updated regularly by Fuery on Danielle's condition.

Ed laid on the couch. He stretched and yawned, bored out of his mind.

"There's nothing to do!" he complained. He turned over and looked at Al. "Think of something to do."

"We could go and try to visit Danielle again," Al suggested.

"What's the point? They won't let us in. We've tried a hundred times." Ed rolled back over and yawned again.

"Actually, Lieutenant Hawkeye came by this morning to report the Danielle is falling in and out of consciousness and that they are allowing visitors."

"When did she come by?" Ed asked, sitting up suddenly. He felt a little dizzy from the sudden change in position.

"When you were snoring loudly on the sofa," Al chuckled, noticing Ed's slight embarrassment. "So are you going to go see her?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Ed sighed. "I might run into the Colonel there. And I really don't want to see him. He still has that assignment for me, and he won't tell me what it is until tomorrow. It's probably something really stupid."

"He won't be there. He already visited her today. He came by with Lieutenant Hawkeye.," Al said.

"Why didn't you wake me up, Al?!" Ed yelled.

"I tried, but you wouldn't wake up. The Colonel said he would have thought you were dead if it wasn't for the loud snoring."

"What?!" Ed fumed. "Wait till I give that guy a piece of my mind!"

"He said that as soon as you wake up, if you ever did, to report to him immediately. He wants to give you your assignment."

"Oh great," Ed mumbled. He stood up and walked over to the window. "Well, let's go, then. We don't want to keep his 'Majesty' waiting." He walked over to the couch and grabbed his coat, then gestured for Al to follow him.

Lieutenant Havoc stood outside of the Colonel's doorway. He looked at Ed and Al as they made their way up the hallway. He smiled and made his way down farther to the chow hall. Ed knocked on the door, waiting for the Colonel's okay.

"Come in," they heard, and they both stepped in. Colonel Mustang sat behind his desk, drumming his fingers beside a piece of paper. He smirked at the sight of Edward.

"What's so funny?" Ed questioned.

"Just that you're here. I didn't think you'd actually ever wake up. I saw the violent shaking that Al gave you and I really thought you were dead," the Colonel laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, just get on with what I'm here for," Ed mumbled angrily. Mustang picked a folder up off of his desk and handed it to Edward.

"You are to locate Jeromae Duncan. He's a research alchemist, obessed with the ancient arts in alchemical processes. He has committed an unforgivable crime. He is located somewhere near Pyre. You are to bring him back; dead or alive," the Colonel said, informing them of their duties. "That folder has all of the known information in it. You'll have that to go off of."

"This is a pretty open assignment. 'Dead or alive'? You holding something against him?" Ed asked. The Colonel continued to look at him in silence. Edward began to feel an uneasiness in the pit of his stomach.

"You leave tomorrow at 1800. And, under no circumstances, are you to take Danielle along with you."

"Why would I --?"

"You will not!"

"Yes, sir!" Ed stammered, taking to folder and leaving the office quickly. That was the one time the Colonel had frightened him a bit. Either the Colonel was in a really bad mood, or he knew a bit more than what he was telling.

Ed and Al slowly made their way to the hospital. They quietly discussed the Colonel's mood, and trying to figure out what this Jeromae Duncan had done.

They passed the nurse's station, nodding their heads in greeting, and made their way to Danielle's room. Ed gripped the folder at his side as Alphonse continued to suggest ideas for what crimes are unforgivable to the Colonel. Suddenly, out of Danielle's room, Dr. Clark flew out into the hallway and against the wall.

"What are you doing?! Help! Somebody!" the doctor yelled. Ed and Al ran to him and helped him up. "She came in through the window and took Danielle! I tried to stop her, but she caught me off guard."

"What?!" Ed yelled. He and Al turned and looked in Danielle's room. She wasn't on her bed and the drapes on the window were blowing in the wind. "Al, quick!"

Ed and Al ran to the window and looked out. The breeze blew quietly against Ed's face.

"There!" Al cried, pointing to a dark figure running across the rooftops.

Ed jumped out and onto the tree next to the window. He climbed up it and onto the next building, quickly following pursuit. Al, too big to fit through the window, made his way out the front of the hospital.

"Hey, you stop!" Ed yelled. The dark figure stopped and turned to him. Ed stopped as well and realized the figure was the Phantom Lady. Danielle hung weakly over her shoulder.

"I told you not to interfere anymore, boy," the Phantom Lady said.

"You let her go!" Ed yelled.

"Now, I don't really think that's an option," the Phantom said, pretending to think about it. She smirked as Ed cursed at her under his breath.

"This is your last warning!"

"I think I could handle a pipsqueak like you."

"Then handle this!" Danielle yelled as she kneed the Phantom Lady in the stomach. The Phantom dropped Danielle.

"Tricky little bitch," the Phantom said, eyeing Danielle as she made her way over to Ed. "Just wait until I get a hold of you again." Danielle stood by Ed, both of them glaring at the Phantom. "Take this!" The Phantom threw several daggers at them.

Danielle raised a wall to protect them both as Ed transmuted spikes out of the wall and sent them flying. The Phantom jumped to the ground and looked up at both of them. She began to transmute something, then dodged an attack from Alphonse. She looked at all of them and sighed.

"I know when to quit," she said, taking a step back. "I'll just have to come up with a better plan. But for now, behave."

Al ran at her again, but he lost her in a cloud of smoke she had created.

Danielle collapsed to her knees and sighed. "That was exciting."

"Are you okay?" Ed asked. Danielle nodded her head. They both jumped to the ground and made their way toward Alphonse.

"Here, Brother, you left this behind," Al said, handing Ed the folder. Danielle looked at it suspiciously and caught sight of the name.

"Edward, what is that?" she gasped.

"My next assignment," Ed replied.

"What?! When are you starting it?!"

"Tomorrow is when our train leaves."

"I'm coming with you," Danielle exclaimed.

"No you're not," Ed replied.

"Edward! I have to!"

"No you don't, so get over it!"

Danielle just stared at him in anger. Her eyes were full of fury; the same kind of fury that had been in the Colonel's eyes. A thought struck Ed, but he didn't say anything. He just watched Danielle walk back to the hospital in a bad mood. Alphonse turned to Ed, wanting to know what he was thinking, but Ed made no sign of thought: he kept it well hidden.

Edward sat in his study all night looking at the folder with the information on Jeromae Duncan. Not much information was given on him. He was big on the study of how ancient civilizations used alchemy to construct their temples and monuments. He had tried several experiments using ancient alchemy, but most were forbidden, so now he's on the run.

Ed thought back to Colonel Mustang and Danielle's reactions to this man. There had to be some sort of connection between the three, but Ed only had a slight idea of what it may be. He jotted down a few more notes into his notebook and stared out of the window. He saw a few officers that he knew, but not by name. He sighed and rested his head on his desk.

A few minutes later, Alphonse opened the door and peered inside.

"Edward, did you want something to eat?" he asked. He got no reply. Ed lay asleep, quietly breathing. Al quietly backed out of the room, leaving his brother to sleep until they left for their mission the next day.

Edward and Alphonse arrived at the train station at six o' clock the next day. Military officials were keeping watch at every possible place at the station. Many were checking a few people who were riding the train. The brothers caught sight of the Colonel and made their way over to him.

"I guess you really don't want Danielle to go, do you," Ed said jokingly.

"I feel that it could be hazardous to the mission, and to herself," Mustang replied. "You two had better get on the train."

"Will their be any officers on the train?"

"I don't feel the need for it. She won't get on now."

"Okay, then," Ed said, getting onto the train. "Call you when we get to Pyre." He caught a glimpse of Lieutenant Hawkeye at the end of the train.

"Hey, we should get a private compartment," Ed said, pulling open a door to an empty compartment. "No one is using them.

"I guess we could," Al said. They sat down in a compartment and closed the door.

"Nice -- very nice," Ed sighed as he made himself comfortable. The train lurched forward and pulled out of the station. The sun had already begun to set as Central disappeared from sight. The sky slowly began to darken, and Ed began to light the lamps in the compartment. They turned a corner a little sharply, and a large mass fell out of the overhead compartment. Danielle lay on the floor in a daze.

"Danielle?! What are you --! How did you get onto the train?!" Ed exclaimed looking down at her. She merely smiled up at him, rubbing a small bump on her head.

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I am sooo sorry this episode was shorter than usual. The next one should be longer! Sorry! bow bow

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Preview of Next Episode:

Ed pushed the Phantom against the wall of the train and knocked the sword out of her hands. He looked at her. She began to laugh hysterically.

"What's so damn funny?"

"You're the alchemist in search of the Philosopher's Stone."

"Yeah, what of it?"

"What if I told you I've seen the Stone you're looking for?"


End file.
